


Bound by Light and Love

by Sildominarin



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Adoption, F/M, First Order Children, First Order Cruelty, Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Found Family, General Organa Is Fed Up With This, Grandparents & Grandchildren, M/M, Poe Inherited It All From Kes, Protective Poe Dameron, Stormtrooper Culture, Stormtrooper Rebellion, more to come - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:54:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6268576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sildominarin/pseuds/Sildominarin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kes Dameron has been nagging his only son to bring him home some grandchildren, fill the void on Yavin 4. It's always been in jest, of course-- he would never push Poe towards what he did not want, and Poe wasn't ready to settle down. Kes could live with that-- he was happy enough to know his son was alive and well.</p><p>But when that same son shows up with a handful of rescued Storm trooper cadets in tow, cadets who don't know how to be children and who have numbers- numbers, by the Maker!- instead of names, Kes belatedly remembers to be careful what he wishes for, and suddenly finds himself in the throes of grand-fatherhood to younglings who need him most.</p><p>Somehow, he knows this is Shera's fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A short prolouge, to get the story started. More introductions will be made in the next chapter, but for now you just need to know that Kes Dameron is once again part of the Resistance.
> 
> Sort of.

Kes Dameron had always wanted grandchildren.

  
He’d never been discontent from his role as a father, far from it. Poe was the best part of his life, and that was just a simple truth. Raising the boy - while been a study in patience- would always be the greatest job he’d ever held. He loved the boy like breathing, like the sun rising each morning, and nothing would ever change that.

  
But after Poe left for the academy Kes’s life was…lonely. Not empty, for the life of a farmer on a jungle planet is far from sedentary, and he had work enough to keep him busy. But he missed the sound of laughter and little feet, mischief making or not. But Poe- like his mother- was not terribly interested in settling down while there was a war to win, and the older Dameron could not deny him that.

  
Still he and Shara had built a large home for a big family, and that just…hadn’t happened. Remarrying had never even entered his mind, because some loves just couldn’t be followed. And that was okay too. But his eventual hope and joy was that someday Poe would find a woman- or man, Kes wasn’t one to judge- and bring home the first of the newest generation of Damerons to be loved and spoiled rotten.

  
But after fifty years Kes Dameron still had not learned to be careful for what he wished for. And that came home hard during the first week of Yavin 4’s monsoon cycle, when he opened the front door’s frantic knocking to find his son, General Leia Organa, and twelve of the most well popstured, wide eyed looking children he had ever laid eyes on.

  
And there was only one thing to do in the face of that. Kes opened the door wide, and gestured them forward. “Come on in, I’ll make some hot coca. Poe, blood of my blood, theses had better not all be yours.”

  
And Poe, sopping wet and grinning, had only ushered the last of the children in and sent his father a smirk. “Well Dad, you have been hounding me for grandbabies. Here they are."

 

And staring at the dripping, wide eyed group of what could only be a group of very well trained and very traumatized children, there was nodoubt what his next course of action wouldbe. Kes could almost here Shara laughing at him, even though she would do the same thing.

"Well, better late then never."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kes really hopes that the first day is the worst. Otherwise he is going to have to murder the entire First Order, and there are children to feed first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to correct any of the Spanish in this or any other chapters. I freely admit to using a translator in combination with what little of the language I do know.

It was the oddest sensation, to have a house full of children.

That had always been the plan. For all her aches and pains and good natured complaining during Poe's pregnancy, the moment he'd been held in their arms both Shara and Kes had been sold on the idea of a big family. Their sprawling home on Yavin 4- the result of years of untouched combat pay and and the fact that Shara's father was a master architect and engineer- had six bedrooms on three floors, and a glassed in fourth floor that had always been intended to be a family gathering space.

But Shara had never been able to conceive again, and before they could pursue any other options she had been gone, and Kes had found himself distantly grateful to only have Poe to raise alone. It had been far and away the best job he'd ever had, but parenting was certainly a two person job and half of his team was gone.

And yet all that aside, all it took was one look at the twelve pairs of too aged eyes in too young faces for Kes Dameron to be completely on board with the General's plan. These children needed a sanctuary, somewhere they would be safe from anyone who might be looking for them. 

"This Force Tree is the greatest shield in existance," Leia had explained, hands folded around the mug of caf like it was a lifeline. "Even Luke was unable to discern individual beings within it's presence. And the Resistance has been avoiding using Rebel sites for reasons just like this."

"The First Order seems only vaguely interested in Imperial ambitions, as far as old battles go." Poe's voice was steady and alert, belying the bruise like shadows beneath his eyes. "And Yavin hasn't been a source of much interest in the last two decades, beyond the tourists here on four."

It was a solid plan, and the soldier in Kes approved of it. But still..."Not that I'm not on board with it, but...it's twelve kids Poe. Will they really be looking for them?"

"Yes."

The answer had come from the third adult member of the party, and Kes turned to meet the eyes of 'just Finn, sir', who'd followed Poe and General Organa in after apparently doing a sweep of the property. The sergeant could approve of the sense of paranoia- it had been his right hand man once- but made a mental note to show Finn the slightly over the top security system Shara had installed, when it was still Poe and her father living there amidst a rebellion.

"They stole a transport and left. That's the last thing the First Order will want." Finn's voice was low and earnest, and carried with it the weight of experience. "It's a huge crack in the storm trooper program-- if these cadets can get out despute the...education systems, then it might lead to a grander scale of resistance. They'll want to stamp it out."

"You sound like you know what you're talking about, son." Kes's tone was gentle, but Finn still flinched.

"I...There was..."

"Finn used to be a Stormtrooper, Dad." Poe's voice was a combination of pride and Very Serious Talk. "But he decided that what the First Order was doing was wrong, and he rescued me and defected to the Resistance."

Finn blushed at the praise, rubbing his neck. "I needed a pilot, Poe gives me too much credit--"

"Son, if you got this boy out of the clutches of the First Order then I don't care if you needed six bunches of Naboo roses. Still makes you a hero in my books."

And possibly more, given the way Poe seemed to light up every time Finn said anything.

"Well, there is certainly room for them here. Maker knows those kids deserve it. Do they..."

The subject matter made him falter, and glance into the living room where the kids were settled in with the nerf casserole that originally been meant to be part of a potluck at the end of the week. But it was warm and filling, and there was enough for all of them to have at least two servings.  They all ate in silence, no whispers or giggles or tears or any of the things he'd expect from children in a new place.

Unsettled, Kes turned his attention to the General. "Do they have nicknames? Please tell me I don't have to go in there and call those children by their serial numbers--I won't use them."

Something about that statement made Finn beam at first him and then Poe, and the younger Dameron rubbed his head with a sheepish grin. Finn rose several levels in Kes's estimation, though it was from 'this is a good man' to 'my son is in love with this man and I can see why'. 

Ignoring the display, Leia shook her head with a sigh. "They have some things they call themselves, but most are just pieces of their designations. We didn't really have time to broach the topic of names."

"Okay." Kes nodded, wrapping his mind around that. "Well, we'll cross that bridge together. I'm sure between the thirteen of us we can figure out a few things."

"This from the man who named his son 'Poe'," Leia retorted with a smile, and Kes narrowed his eyes at her even as Poe spluttered and Finn hid a smile.

But even that levity could not last forever, and neither could the presence of the Resistance. It was dangerous enough for them to escort the children-- the last thing they wanted was to attract even more attention. Even so Kes had a chance to pull his son aside, wrapping Poe into his arms for a solid embrace.

"Estoy orgulloso de ti, mijo."  _I'm proud of you, son._

The younger Dameron buried his face in his father's shoulder, holding on tighter for a moment. It had been a tough set of weeks, and even though there was no one in the base who had been anything less than absolutely supportive of him- and the torture at the hands of Kylo Ren which had divulged information- it was something else to know that nothing had changed with his father.

"Gracias, Papa."

And the former Rebel soldier took the opportunity to pull Finn aside for a similiar embrace. "Thank you, for saving my son."

And Kes was convinced that he could  _fee_ _l_ the man's blush. "It was not a big--"

"I assure you, it was." Holding the man's shoulder, Kes gave the younger man a reassuring smile. "Trust me, son, it was everything."

Leia Organa was waiting by the Force tree while Finn and Poe got the shuttle ready, and Kes halted just behind her, unsure for a moment what to say.

"You know that it was my son who tortured yours, do you not Sergeant Dameron?"

"Been a long time since I was a Sergeant, m'am." Though by old instinct Kes found himself at attention. "Even longer since I blamed someone for the actions of another."

"Kes."

And suddenly it was like twenty odd years had never passed. They were still two friends, two people who had fought an Empire and won. Only now it was the next generation at it-- and her son on the side committing the worst of it.

"He killed Han, Kes. Ben killed Han. The little boy who used to climb this tree and...and..."

It must have been weeks that the emotions had been bottled up, and Kes had to wonder if she'd managed to find a time to really grieve. Maker knew there was pain there, on both sides. Han Solo had been a true leader, and as a member of the Pathfinders Kes had admired him, and mourned his loss. But General Organa's pain was a hundred times worse, and she still had to shoulder the weight of the Resistance and the knowledge that her son had been the cause of that terrible pain.

It was not the first time that Kes had wished desperately that Shara was still alive. But his choices were limited, and his actions more so. So he went on instinct and stepped forward, mirroring the embraces that had just been given out.

"I'm so sorry, Leia. But it wasn't your fault. It wasn't. Ben...he made his own choices. All children do, and we can't stop them." A tired chuckle. "Gods know I never wanted Poe to follow in our footsteps. But there is no one I would trust him to more than you. And nothing about that has changed."

"I sent him to--"

"Nothing, Leia."

And the woman gave a slow sigh, wiping her eyes. By the time her shoulders straightened she was General Leia Organa again, the only woman alive who was destined to destroy two evil empires. And to have two generations of Dameron's willing to follow her to Hell and back.

"Thank you, Kes. For taking the children, and....for everything."

"It is an honor to serve, General."

 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The shuttle was lifted and gone by the time Kes made it back to the house, and he found the cadets arrayed around the kitchen. Two of them had started on washing dishes, two on drying, adn the rest seemed to be on a sort of recon mission to find out where the dishes belonged. It squeezed Kes's heart a little, when he cleared his throat and they all snapped to attention.

With better posture than his own, worse yet.

"At ease, guys. My name is Kes Dameron-- feel free just to call me Kes. You don't have to worry about the dishes, just leave them in the sink. Why don't we gather.."

Kes gestured to the living room, and the children obediently filed in that direction. It took a little time to get them all settled onto couches or chairs, and they seemed a little confused at his insistence that they sit. But the sight of them standing like little soldiers was doing bad things to his blood pressure, so it was the safest alternative.

"I don't know if you guys have gone over the idea of maybe being called something other than your current...designations."And it took a lot to keep it from coming out bitterly, but not scaring the kids was ideal. "So I thought maybe we could go over that tonight, or at least get comfortable with the idea." There was no immediate response to that, besides the kids exchanging quick nervous glances, so Kes took matters into his own hands and pointed to the first child on the right. "Okay, we'll go in a line. Why don't you tell me what you are called right now, and if you have a nickname that you like?"

The boy was maybe nine, with pale freckled skin and a shock of red hair cut close to the scalp. His freckles seemed to stand out more when Kes called on him, but he stepped forward with no hesitation. "CD-4491, Sergeant Dameron. I..." That time there was a moment of hesitation, as he were gathering his courage. "Sometimes...sometimes they call me Zap, because that's what happens when I take things apart."

"It's just Kes, buddy. I haven't been a Sergeant in awhile." But the former Rebel made sure his tone was light and friendly. "Do you like being called Zap?"

The question seemed to require quite a bit of shuffling and nervous glances with his fellow cadets before the child turned back to Kes. "I like the way it sounds, but..." At Kes's encouraging nod he squared his shoulders. "I do not like being addressed by it, sir."

The honorifics were going to take some work, so Kes let it pass-- there were bigger issues at hand. "Okay, no Zap. But if you like the sound of it..." It wasn't hard to find an alternative, and the man smiled. "What about 'Zach'? It's a fairly common name, and it sounds similiar without being'Zap'."

The boy took several moments to think it over, but the older man was eventually rewarded with a firm nod and a very tentative smile. "Yessir, I like Zach."

"Then Zach it is, good to meet you Zach." Kes shook his hand with a serious expression, and it did his heart good to hear tittering and giggles from the rest of the group. "Alright, whose next."

 

 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

It took the better part of an hour and a list of the most common names in the galaxy on his data padd, but at last the task was finished. The entire cadet group was human, and from what Kes knew of the Empire's opinion on other species that might have been typical for all current Stormtroopers. It did make it easier to accommodate sleeping arrangements however, for which Kes was extremely grateful.

On more than one occasion the Dameron-Bey home had played host to a number of guests- mostly friends from their Rebel days- which had the fortunate benefit that he and Shara had put two twin beds in every room but Poe's. It had the benefit of there being eleven beds immediately available, and there was a spare cot that he was able to set up in Poe's room to make it all work.

Another small difficulty came from the unfortunate fact that the children had more or less what they were wearing. There was a durasteel crate by the front door, full of the necessary supplies for twelve children. Despite what the Resistance was facing it was clear that General Organa was not one to let small details slip by. But the appropriately sized garments only came in a few colors, and if Poe's own growth was anything to go on they wouldn't fit them for very long.

There were benefits to owning one of the biggest caf plantations in the Goldorian Reach, especially when it came to needing items in bulk. He had never seen himself as a farmer, and the first few acres of caf plants were almost more of a joke between him and Shara. Why bankrupt themselves for their addiction when they could grow it? Neither had expected the soil on Yavin 4 to be so accepting to the plant, and from there it just grew. Non-greenhouse beans were actually somewhat of a speciality, and there were people who were willing and able to pay more for them.

Which was nice, not that Kes had ever needed to be wealthy, but it did mean that he had it when it was needed. Like for the Academy, even though Poe wanted to work his way through. And to send the caf to the resistance, in bulk enough to make sure the young men, women, and species-specific gendered had enough energy to take on the First Order. But it also meant that he had more than enough credits to make sure the kids got their own clothes, in whatever colors they wanted and whatever they wanted to wear.

But for that night Kes broke into his own t-shirt collection. Even the tallest of the kids swam in one of his shirts, and it was the closest thing he had for nightclothes. And there were sonic-brushes in the crate for them, small blessings, which meant that he was able to herd them into three separate 'fresher rooms and start the bedtime process.

 

Which was, as he more or less expected, extremely regimented. Newly named Jacen, Revan, Zack and Bail took one restroom- dubbed the men's room- while the two other 'fresher rooms were split between Vima, Traya, Nomi and Meetra in the first, and Mara, Jaina, Aurra and Beru in the second.

After that it's disturbingly easy to get the rooms parsed out. There are, apparently, two bunk bunk beds in the cadet sleeping quarters, and the former cadets were part of a cadre together. They chose rooms with their bunk mates, and Kes tries not to be too upset on how they all sleep the same way: flat on their backs, arms to their sides. Like they are laying in little coffins, he thinks, and shudders.

But there were no complaints or requests, and Kes felt confident after a few moments that they were at least settled for the evening. There was a lot to go over, and even more to worry about, and the former Rebel soldier found himself wondering how he had ever gotten one child to adulthood on his own-- and how he thought he could handle twelve.

But one glance at the staircase- and the silent rooms above it, where children had a modicum of privacy for the first times in their lives- and he knew he could do it. He had to.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kes's first week starts off fairly well, and things are looking up.
> 
> Until they aren't.

Sleep had been hard, after Shara died.

It wasn’t that Kes hadn’t needed it. Thrust suddenly into the role of single parent to a grieving child- and dealing with that same overwhelming loss himself- his day had become a gamut of trying to keep Poe clean and fed and comforted, as well as keep their house from collapsing into the void of its mistresses absence. But even with that stress on his mind it had been a struggle to find any measure of sleep once night fell. The bed was too cold, too empty, to quiet without Shara’s soft breathing or constant stealing of all the blankets.

And yet, it meant that at the end of each day- as he lay in that quiet bed in his quiet room- he could hear everything in the house. Every creak and groan of wooden floors, every sigh of wind against the walls…every soft sob the Poe tried to smother into his pillows with limited success, every soft footstep as his son tried to sneak onto the fourth floor to stare achingly into the night sky. And while the lack of sleep meant exhaustion at the end of long days, it also meant that he’d been able to cradle his precious child in his arms and wipe tears away, or hold him under the stars that Shara had loved so much until they both drifted off. And Kes wouldn’t have changed any of that for all the sleep in the world. Eventually his body had learned to adjust, his mind acquiescing to how things would be, and he regained a somewhat normal sleep cycle.

But he had never really regained the dead-sleep of his youth. It meant that particularly loud or close noises could still rouse him, and that made the occasionally windy nights on Yavin 4 particularly difficult as he woke to every branch scratching the house or gust rattling the windows. Or sound of a soft body hitting the floor, followed by soft sobbing and immediate- and terrified-whispering from the room next to his.

Parental instincts had him on his feet in a second, wrestling into a shirt before padding out into the hallway. The sounds were indeed coming from the first room in the hall-- Jaina and Meetra, two of the younger girls and neither older than eleven. Rapping lightly on the door he poked his head in, and felt his heart sink at what he saw.

One of the empty twin beds had its blankets twisted and flung aside. And from the other came the terrified stares of two little girls, both with the blankets pulled up over their noses as though in some vain attempt to remain hidden. It might have been amusing if it hadn’t been so heartbreaking, and Kes reached for his softest and most comforting voice as he stepped through the door.

“Girls, are you both--”

“It’s my fault, Sergeant Kes!”

Meetra’s voice was high and frightened, but she squared her shoulders and spoke despite it. “JN…Jaina’s sleep cycle was malfunctioning and I know that there is only one unit per bed but it seemed like it would be the best way to analyze her problems and I am sorry Sergeant Kes but it is not Jaina’s fault and I--”

“Woah, woah, throttle back a bit sweetheart.”

Holding up his hands he stepped a little farther into the room, trying not to wince as both girls cringed farther under the blankets. “What do you mean Jaina’s sleep cycle was malfunctioning, what…”

Then it clicked. The tear tracks on the caramel skin, the way he could see her shaking even pressed against Meetra’s shoulder. And he remembered a much smaller child, looking at him with a similarly devastated expression in dark eyes as he explained that ‘you were gone too Dad and I was all alone and it was scary’.

His voice soft Kes moved to perch on the end of the bed, smoothing down the covers. “Jaina, honey, did you have a nightmare?” At the confused glances from both girls he elaborated, “when you were asleep, did you see or hear things that frightened you?”

After a moment of hesitation she nodded, voice far quieter than the outspoken Meetra. “Yes, Sergeant Kes. I…I nightmared that Kylo Ren was here.”

The name sent anger through Kes. As if one evil masked overlord was not enough for one life time, they had to have a Darth Vader parody. A Darth Vader parody that tortured his son, worse yet. Kes had killed men for less than that, during his Rebel days, and for a few seconds his hands ached for a blaster. But that was inconsequential in the moment, and he made sure none of those emotions were present in his voice as he spoke again.

“That sounds pretty scary. Do you want to stick with Meetra for tonight?”

Both girls looked wary for a moment, looking for a trap, and Jaina’s voice was slow. “There is to be only one unit per—“

“This is not the First Order, honey.”

Both girls fell silent at that, and Kes found himself cursing Snoke and the First Order even more than he had before. “If you both feel better like this, then that’s okay with me. I just want you both to be comfortable.”

This led to a few seconds of whispered conversation, before Meetra turned to face him. “We would like to stay like this, Sergeant Kes.”

“Alright then.” Standing up he gave them both what he hoped was a comforting smile. “Sleep tight, girls.”

The door clicked quietly closed behind him, and Kes waited until he was back in his own room before sighing. Any sense of tiredness had faded with the interaction, and suddenly he felt too tight in his own skin. The part of him that had never truly forgotten the Rebellion wanted to go and fight and be an active part in the destruction of the First Order. But the rest of him- the parts that had raised Poe and had seen what happened to children orphaned by war time- knew that he was going far more good where he was.

It just didn’t feel like it, when he wasn’t even sure how to soothe away a nightmare.

Giving up entirely on the idea of sleep, Kes finally tugged on his boots. It was only an hour or so before dawn, when he had scheduled the first of two large grocery deliveries, and sleep at this point would do more harm than good. Instead he crept quietly down the stairs and out onto the lawn. In the dim wash of false dawn he could still see the faint glow of the force tree, and without conscience thought his steps took him there.

The memorial stone was a plain solid rectangle perhaps two feet in height , so as to be visible without being ostentatious. He and Poe had picked it out together a few months after Shara’s death, and that more than anything had helped with the grieving process. It was a smooth black marble flecked with small points of white and silver. In many ways it looked like a starry sky, and that was what had appealed to them. The inscription itself was simple- her name, age and the normal mentions of her being a wife and mother.

But it was the back that was the truest masterpiece. Poe had found the poem in a collection anonymous ancient poetry, and the few lines had resonated with both of them. As usual Kes found himself running his fingertips over the small letters, letting the words wash over him.

_Should my end come while I am in flight_

_Whether brightest day or darkest night_

_Spare me your pity and shrug off the pain_

_Secure in the knowledge that I’d do it again_

_For each of us is create to die_

_But within me I know, I was born to fly_

It was the embodiement of Shara, and of that same spark she had passed on to her son. And for all that Kes would have gladly given his life in exchange to have her back he had never been anything less than proud of her life—and the life they had created together. The son who had her hair and his eyes and their combined need to help others and fight injustice in the world. And he knew, with the kind of certainty that came from knowing each other like they had, that Shara Bey would have made the same decision about the children. He just wished she was there.

Brushing his fingertips along the edge of the stone, Kes couldn’t help but smile. He always felt better when he visited her, and the peace that was missing always came back to him.

“Wish you were here, Shar. I know you’re laughing my ass off out there, which I resent. But these kids need me, need more than I can give, and…Poe needs me to do this. I can see it in his face, he’s scared for these kids.”

He clamped down on a laugh that was at least half sob, and shook his head. “I don’t know how we lucked out, Shara, but that boy…well, you know. He’s just like you.”

Kes stayed under the tree until the sun had fully risen, and he could hear the low hum of the speeder pulling up to the house. One of the benefits to living on a moon with a heavy tourist presence was the sheer ability to have things delivered. Most grocery deliveries went out to the hiker cabins, but there was no issue getting that he needed regardless. There were eight durasteel crates piled in his kitchen by the time he was finished bringing the delivery in, and the former sergeant planted his hands on his hips and looked around.

Most of the delivery was food, which was going to be his biggest problem. No matter what the First Order had passed onto them as food- and based on what they had found in imperial supply raids it wasn’t great- Kes had higher opinions on what children should be fed. And that included the kind of food that was good for body and soul. And to that end he unpacked what needed to be chilled first, and then set to work on breakfast.

Flapjacks were the easiest to make- and one of the best parts about his brief posting on Dantooine- and he was able to make plenty of them quickly. Bantha sausage and about twenty eggs were next on the list, and by the time he heard movement from the upper floors Kes had enough breakfast food to feed the small army he had inherited. And it didn’t take the children long to come down.

Each was clean and dressed in the clothing that had been sent from the resistance, and it took everything in Kes’s power not to laugh at the variety of orange and black in their wardrobe. No doubt his son had been given some authority over their clothing, if that was the result. But the kids hardly seemed to notice his amusement. Instead their eyes were fixed on the counters full of food, and it didn’t take long for one of the boys- Jacen, he remembered, with pale skin and narrow eyes of one of the core planets- stepped hesitantly forward.

“Are we…Sergeant Kes, would it be alright if we…”

With an internal sigh at the perennial sergeant, Kes gave him a nod. “Yeah, Jacen, you all can grab a plate and eat up. We’ve got some work to do today.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

After the children had gorged themselves on the breakfast food- and Kes was glad to see their overwhelmingly positive reaction to sweet Dantooine cane syrup- he stacked the plates in the kitchen fresher and herded the whole group into the living room. The holoscreen had already been set up for one of the large department stores on Yavin, and Kes programmed the youth clothing page on the screen. From there it devolved into an explanation of color and sizes and styles, with each child encouraged to find a few things that appealed to them. And the bill was enough to make Kes wince, not that he couldn’t afford it easily, but it also brought to mind just how quickly Poe had grown. It was probably going to mean putting that extra caf field in the back…

After that it was easier to convince them to choose bedclothes in the same fashion. And from there Kes felt comfortable establishing a chore chart, if only because the children seemed to be uncomfortable without tasks to do. The subject of allowance took even more time to explain, and by the time the whole group dispersed Kes was ready for a pain blocker and a nap. But it went on more easily from there. A day turned into two, and turned into a week. Each day he felt the kids slowly becoming more comfortable in their new lives, developing less regimented schedules and finding activites that suited blossoming personalities.

Meetra emerged as the unspoken leader of her fellow girls, the first to hesitantly approach Kes if something was needed. Zach- who had latched onto Kes after the first few days and seemed determined to stay relatively close at all times- took on the same role for the boys, and they got along swimmingly. In a way it was like having a gaggle of grandchildren. They looked up to him, certainly, though in less of a paternal way and as more of a benevolent leader. Their adoration was reserved for the rare and much anticipated holo calls from Poe and Finn – and once, memorably, from General Leia that had prompted serious debate on whether or not the general was the supreme leader of the resistance.

But ‘Sergeant Kes’ was the ultimate authority in the home, for all that he used it rarely. They were well behaved kids and apart from the occasional nightmare were happy and adjusting well. And somewhere in the nebulous future part of Kes Dameron’s mind he could see them staying that way. And it might even had happened like he was hoping.

If the First Order hadn’t arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there's a cliffhanger and a half. Whoops.
> 
> Come find me on tumblr, at chief-nurse-maggie.tumblr.com/


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things Change

The security system had been a nightmare to install, at first. Between the two of them Kes and Shara had almost overwhelming expectations, and that meant accommodating for all sorts of threats. Radar and multiple layer sonar and a lockdown system for the house, everything that would give them the fastest warning and the most protection. Shara had been anxious about a house that did not move, could not fly away as needed, and in some sense Kes had agreed.

And so they had agreed on a system, and all but built it from scratch. And in all honesty Kes had more or less forgotten about it until it had begun screaming at him in the middle of the night.

Instincts that never really went away had him on his feet in moments and stumbling to the display. It was an approaching transport. It was a trooper carrier, imperial class, and every nerve in Kes’s body went taunt. They had come for his kids, for the troopers, and they would almost certainly kill them and him if they—

“Stop.”

The word was whispered harshly into the night, even as the former rebel soldier- and soon to be current Rebellion fighter- tore into his dresser. Years of preparing in heartbeats had not left him in his older age, and he wriggled as quickly into heavy clothes and boots as he could before bursting into the hallway. The alarm had alerted most of the children, and they were tumbling out of their rooms at almost the same moment he had. And seeing the questions on their faces Kes spoke first.

“There are hostile forces approaching. Everyone dress in heavy clothes, your coats and boots. Pack what supplies you might need for potentially three days and assemble in the living room. We have ten minutes until departure, and I want you done in three!”

It was the first time he had used his command voice on them, and they reacted instantly. As they rushed around to pack Kes himself was already smacking the holoscreen, inputting Poe’s coordinates as he laid his hand against the safe room door. It took several seconds for the connection to catch, and htne he was greeted with a sleepy looking son—and what he guessed was the upper chest of an ex-storm trooper.

“Dad….what…” Poe’s voice was sleep stupid, and for all that it was perhaps the most adorable sight his adult son could produce it only made the older Dameron’s heart clench. He wasn’t at all afraid to lay down his life for either his son or the children placed in his care, but the idea that he was never going to see his son ‘grow up’, maybe marry and find the happiness he’d had with Shara…

There was no time for emotions, though, and Kes forced them aside. “Poe, we’ve got incoming First Order, twenty minutes out. I am evacuating the kids now, but they are going to need some help.”

In a flash Poe went from exhausted to alert, and he was scrambling to his feet. “Oh Gods, okay, I will scramble a response right now. We can be there in…” He was doing the math in his head, and Kes knew before his face fell that it was bad. “We can be there in six hours dad. Is there any chance you can…can the safe room.”

“Safe room can’t take six hours of First Order fire, Poe, no matter how paranoid your mother was. They’ll take the two speeders and head north for the space port. It’s one ship right now, so I’ll see what I can do here and give them some time to--”

“Dad that’s suicide, you can’t—“

“Poe Shasek Dameron I swear to the Maker if you talk back to me again.”

The familiar threat had Poe shutting his mouth out of habit, and the elder Dameron spoke before he could recover. “We have a plan in place, Poe. They have passes to get to Yavin, and from there to Hoth. You need to make plans to rendeavous with them there. I love you, Poe, so much. Your mother and I will always be proud of you.”

Ending the holocall he turned as the children came down stairs, and despite the situation his heart swelled. They were all prepared, packs on their backs and determined faces. Meetra and Zach were already rushing around with arms full of protein bars and sealed water pouches to push in on top, and if nothing else he knew the kids could take care of themselves until the resistance came.

“Alright guys, just like we practiced. Two speeders, keep parallel to each other. Once you reach the spaceport use the passes to arrange transport to Yavin—use my name at the Gordian Exchange, you’ll get passage on a freighter. Stay together, stay safe. If anyone asks you are on a school trip to the Massassli remains and got lost and your teacher is on the way.”

Time was running out and he knew it. There was no time to say what he wanted, what he needed them to know. Instead he only met each face in turn and nodded collectively to them all.

“I am so proud of all of you. Go now, and keep each other safe.”

There was little hesitation, despite the fear in their eyes, and they charged out of the house in organized lines. They had practiced the drill, several times, and so it was not a surprise to hear the speeders hum to life before zipping away from the house. And there was relief in knowing that they were safe, in knowing that they were on their way to being free and happy and…

Well. He was content with alive, but grandparents were allowed to dream.

With the biggest fear off his shoulders it was easier to walk into the safe room, to pick up his still useful blasters and take a few deep breaths. The house had been built for family, and as much as he wanted it to stay with Poe and the next generation of Damerons he was glad that it had been at least temporarily filled to the brim with children.

The low whine of the landing transport slowly filled his ears, and Kes tried for the peace that had always been his before the rebel battles. Serenity with his decision, determination in his actions. As close to being one with the force as he could be, a lesson taught by a much younger Luke Skywalker. And with that resolve behind his eyes, Kes stepped through the front door.  
-_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_-  
It was hard for Poe to keep calm. It had been almost four hours since the transmission with his father had ended, and in that time his heart had gone double time. His imagination ran wild with terror at what might have happened on Yavin 4, at the thought that the stormtrooper kids could be hurt or captured, and that his father…

That thought ached in the part of his heart that had not healed over completely from the loss of his mother. The idea of having to bury both of them, of being alone as the last of the Dameron family and never seeing his father again or hearing his voice or being told that he was loved—

The sob was involuntary, and for all that he locked it down hard he knew the rest was not far behind. Black One had been the best shield possible, particularly as General Organa had ordered radio silence for the lightspeed trip to Yavin 4, but he knew that his squad was watching him. None of their families had gone untouched in the war- Brightstaff, their youngest pilot, had grown up on Hosnian Prime and lost his whole world- but the idea of having to arrive home and see the destruction of his familial home was almost an unimaginable thought.

The proximity alarm began to beep at him, signaling the approach to Yavin, and Poe took a deep breath to settle himself before flicking on his commlink.

“Black Squadron, this is Black Leader, do you copy?”

The all signed off in turn, and Poe sought the commander persona he had strived for before speaking again. “We are going in fast. Circle Yavin and go stealth as we approach 4. Coordinates should be locked in. If there is no fire upon approach we will land alongside the target and assume hostiles in the building. Understood?”

“We copy, Poe.” Jessika’s voice was professional, but he could hear the sympathy in it. “Do you want to hang back and cover—“

“Negative, I know the area.” He paused, and then added more softly, “Thanks, Pava.”

He could only hope he didn’t regret it.  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
“Okay, run this by me again. You want to what?”

It had been a hideous night, and Kes Dameron wanted a drink more than anything else in the world. The adrenaline come down was playing havoc with his endurance and wits, both things he needed in spades to get through the challenge ahead of him. Challenges he did not feel even close to qualified for, despite the fact that no one had died or been captured and tortured.

The almost teenagers fidgeted from their perches around the glassed in room, glancing at each other as if waiting for anyone to speak. But before things could get too awkward the oldest of them- a tall young man with a shock of orange hair and more freckles than he knew what to do with- hesitantly raised a hand.

“We…that is to say, our cadre…We want to leave the First Order. They’ve been talking about how the Resistance will kill anyone who defects but…” He shrugged, and the hopeless gesture twisted something in Kes’s gut. “But they killed the entire platoon of the ones who ran away, for nothing! And FN-2187 is still alive, so we thought…”

“You thought you’d give it a chance, and see if you could get away?” 

They all nodded at his words, looking about as worn out as it was possible for kids their age to look, and it was a deciding factor in a way.

When they had first arrived, marching off the transport in nothing but their underblacks, hands behind their heads Kes had thought it was a trap. He had confiscated their weapons and wiped the ship, running scans on all of them before even letting them speak. But they were all clean, free of trackers or hidden weapons. They were instead exhausted teenagers who had made a desperate gamble to get away from what no longer seemed much like order. And as the former soldier of an alliance that had been rather fond of disorder he could appreciate that.

“Alright, well, not much we can do tonight. The general will be able to make more decisions, but for right now lets get you fed and—“

It was all he managed before the doors burst open, and he found himself face to face with his son, his second favorite adopted child and the rest of Black squadron, all of whom he had met at some point or another in various holocalls. All were armed, blasters at the ready, and Poe looked like he had aged a year in the few hours since they talked.

And Kes would deal with that later, but for now he found his best command voice and barked out, “At ease, weapons down!”  
Habit had Resistance and ex-First Order alike jumping, and something like smug pride filled his chest—he still had it. Before the storm brewing in his son’s eyes could burst Kes moved between them and gestured between them.

“Black Leader, Black squadron, meet Command Cadre 5598. They are clean on trackers and have just arrived after a lengthy trip.”

“Why didn’t you update the Resistance on—“ Poe’s voice was low, and Kes cut him of sharply.

“Because, Commander, I was not going to make a transmission until I was absolutely sure that it was safe to do so.”

The sharp tone served both as a reminder of their scenario, and that Poe was before his own people— there was still a chain of command and he was still at the top of it. After a few moments Poe sighed, weight falling off his shoulders, and he finally smiled.  
“Well, Command Cadre 5598, good to meet you. I’m Commander Poe Dameron, this is my father, this is my house, and I need a drink.”  
And as his squadron broke out into snickers, and the storm troopers grinned nervously, Kes hung his head and reflected that that was one element of his son that he could not in fact blame on Shara. Damn.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go on, in much the way Kes had always wanted them to.

It had taken three days for the Resistance to trickle the children safely and secretely back to Yavin 4, and Kes felt every moment of it. It felt much like the time Poe- nine years old and too smart for his own good- had tried to run away to Naboo after hearing that it was 'a little slice of heaven'. Somehow the child had gotten it into his head that Shara must be there, and had managed to weedle his way aboard a frieghter headed that direction instead of heading to school. 

Thankfully the crew had truly been heading to the planet, a collection of well meaning merchants who- once they got the interstellar broadcast about a missing child missing from Yavin 4 who matched the description of their little passanger- had been kind enough to return him and even a little touched at Poe's tearful explanation of his plans. In the end it was just a moment of youthful misadventure and no harm done, but for those seven hours Kes had hardly been able to breathe. He had known Poe was safe and on his way home, but he'd known the same thing before the accident that had killed the love of his life. And he had been a nervous wreck until his son- exhuasted and weepy- had been safe and clutched tightly in his arms.

And if he had not been so busy now, with twelve times as many missing charges, Kes might have lost his mind. But there was still the matter of where to put fifteen more Storm Troopers- all of whom were well into puberty and would need their own rooms. And it was a very good thing that the colony on Yavin 4 had experienced a similiar attrition rate of most colonies- meaning that more than one pre-fabbed home was empty- or they would have been out of luck.

It was also lucky- or incredibly sad, he wasn't sure which- that the older troopers were as industrious as the ex-cadets. They hauled and pushed and stacked with a will, chattering and laughing as the slow realization that they were free to do so settled in. By the end of the third day he was beginning to wish idly for the onset of hearing loss, but it was a cheerful wish. It was decided that the main house would still serve as 'headquarters' and the cadet's home, which meant that they were able to get by with only moving three homes into the empty spaces around HQ. By unspoken consensus all wanted to stay close, and the four bedroom homes meant that there was room to spare.

And it work that was a good distraction, but Kes forgot all about it the moment a small Resistance transport landed in the clearing before the house. and the former rebel soldier met it at a dead run, just in time to be swamped by twelve small bodies and a ringing cry of 'Sergeant Kes!'. He hugged each child in turn, ruffling hair and wiping away tears until everyone could be herded into the house to clean up and settle in for a meal and the inevitable- and exciting tale- of how they had all made it to Hoth and then sat around in space for two days.

The cadets were initially fearful of the older troopers, but in time all came to adjust. The command cadre lived up to their name insomuch as they became immediately and fearfully protective of their younger counterparts.They took over helping the kids with their holo education in between their own classes, and Kes had to fight for the right to cook at least one meal a day for all of them. They became a mesh, a family, and Kes had never been happier.

After that, things just...went on. Lisla and Marn, the two oldest girls, stayed only a month before leaving to join the resistance. They left with a store of credits behind their names and the promise of a sanctuary on Yavin 4 whenever they needed it. Travis, Dana and Drejis- all from the command cadre- stayed six months before leaving for Universities far from the First Order. Their scores-  their own talent and just a little bit of help from BB-8's technical influence- merited scholarships and grants, and all three had departed tearfully with promises that they would send their scores and write via the secure roundabout contact system.

Rone had become enamoured with flying, earning his interstellar pilots license under an assumed name and taking a job with a freight company unassociated with the First Order. Kes slowly grew fond of the crates of unusual and exciting souvenirs from across the galaxy, though the letters inside were what he treasured. In time Trevin followed him, and within three years the two men had started their own highly successful and extremely discreet transport company. Kes was their first and best customer, and stood up for both of them at their wedding.

Cori and Vytt were the only two of the cadre who stayed behind. Both girls had fallen in love with farming, finishing courses at Yavin 4's college for agriculture. What had started as a highly successful but mostly disorganized caf production for Kes grew into a small empire in their hands, and Kes was glad to leave them to it. They still bickered over profits- Kes demanding they keep the lion's share while the girls fought him for a fair split- but it was in a loving way.

The cadets were a different story. It would have taken an act of God to seperate them and their sergeant, and Kes was fine with it. After the destruction of the First Order when most of them were about twelve- it was hard to tell, and they didn't try too hard- and after that he sent them to the public school on Yavin 4. It immediately led to all of them making a gaggle of friends and mischief in equal turns. The sudden appearance of twelve new and varied Damerons no doubt confused the teachers, but Kes- who had been moved when Meetra had boldly announced that they were taking his surname- had been moved to tears and registered them all under the same family name.

And was somehow unsurprised and yet still very pleased to watch Finn take that same name in a ceremony under the Force Tree that same year. It was the best way for Poe to include his mother in the ceremony, and though not all of the tear both men shed were happy, they were all honest and it was enough. It also made it a little easier, when the inevitable grandchildren topic came up with strangers, for kes to whip out a holo with 21 pictures and explain that he had three children.

Rey, who had become inseperable from her 'boys' and had almost immediately been adopted by the cadets as one of their own and was voted an honorable Dameron. She was a frequent visitor to both the Force tree and her 'cousins', and welcomed there. Her own family never came back for her, and Kes hated them for that, but she had found her own and they would not part with her for the world.

And over time, the name grew further. Kes held each new child, infant or adopted, with an equal amount of love. He held them in times of sorrow and rejoiced with them in times of glee. Yavin 4 became a hub for light and love and more grandchildren- and great grandchildren, Maker be praised- then he could ever have wanted.

And when he opened his eyes at the grand old age of 124 not to the somewhat fuzzy ceiling of his room but to Shara's smiling face and a body that no longer creaked whenever he thought about moving, Kes Dameron was content in the knowledge that his family- founded on trust and bound by love- would be okay. And someday, Force willing, he would see them again.

And he was okay with that.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your lovely comments and kudos on this story! It was a joy to write and I loved every moment of it. Look for more adventures with Kes and his charges in the future-- I am already planning another story which explores the cadets a little, but that might have to wait until after I get my real world work down a little.


End file.
